GOPideas... ideas done right

As governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee proposed, implemented and executed numerous health care initiatives to improve the health of the state. More importantly, in the last years of his governorship, he lost over 100 pounds and cured his diabetes --- setting an example that preventable diseases (and the costs associated with them) can be eliminated through behavior change.

Huckabee showed both a capability and willingness to develop and advocate innovative solutions during his tenure as governor. This willingness to be innovative is something that Congressional Republicans should cite and support as an alternative to the current overhaul of the health care system before Congress. Huckabee implemented strategies and policies in the four major areas of health care that need improvement: access, outcomes, cost and leadership.

Access

• Huckabee began the ARKids program to address the "doughnut hole" of health care access --- those who are too affluent to be eligible for Medicaid programs, but cannot afford (or do have access to) private insurance. Similar programs could be established in other states, if allowed by Congress and the Administration to have the flexibility to do so.

• Huckabee introduced Arkansas HealthNet, a program designed to offer affordable health insurance to small businesses in Arkansas.  The program is a public/private partnership (the state funds are derived from Arkansas' tobacco settlement) in which businesses that have not offered insurance in the past 12 months can purchase insurance. This is somewhat like the "exchange" idea --- done without the federal mandate.

Outcomes 

• During the Iowa primary campaign, Huckabee suggested that the purchasing power of food stamps should be based upon the nutritional value of the food purchased. This would provide an incentive for healthy purchases and a penalty for poor ones. This idea is discussed in greater depth here.

• Huckabee began the Healthy Arkansas program, stating that the program is a "comprehensive effort to clearly define specific areas where behavioral changes can lead to healthier citizens." Specifically, the program acknowledges that the three main causes of disease are preventable: smoking, obesity and a lack of exercise --- and the site provides strategies to address these causes.

• Instead of just encouraging personal responsibility, Governor Huckabee implemented changes to demand it. For example, he ordered that all schools weigh their students ---- and found that 40% were overweight, so letters went to parents outlining the health risks of weight. When some parents argued that it wasn't any of the government's business, Huckabee had the perfect response: "If it's my business as a governor to make sure that the air is clean and the water is clear, how on earth could someone say that it's not the business of government to at least care that its citizens are grossly overweight and its going to cost us a bankrupt level amount of money?" (Osgood File, September 17, 2004).

• Governor Huckabee included smoking cessation programs in the state Medicaid program. (Market Call, CNN, July 19, 2004) This provided people who could not otherwise afford it the support to do the right thing.

Cost

• Huckabee also introduced a program in which the state pays the co-payments for prostate exams, colonoscopies and mammograms, to promote early detection. Such screenings save considerable cost --- and more importantly, lives.

• Huckabee stated in Congressional testimony that: "In my office we have a rule that anyone involved in making policy has to spend at least half a day once every six weeks working in a state department or agency. ... (the day) is to be spent at the service delivery level (testimony before Congress, April 14, 1999). The purpose of this requirement was to ensure that policymakers understood the full costs and benefits of their actions from the perspective of those that had to implement the policies.

• As governor, Huckabee provided $500 discounts on health insurance for state employees if they did health risk assessments and didn't smoke. Arkansas also provided incentives for both weight loss and exercise. As Huckabee stated: " It's not that you're penalizing people. But what you do --- you reward people for their good behavior. And there are ways to create incentives." ("Street Signs," CNBC, August 30, 2007).

• In Congressional testimony Huckabee argues for Social Services Block Grants to allow states to design health care programs closer to the people affected by the decisions. (Testimony before the Senate Budget Committee, July 12, 2000.) Instead of a federal mandate, why would we not allow states to do what is best for their citizens?

Leadership

• When asked about his personal struggle with weight, Huckabee stated: "I realized I could not blame anyone else. I had to accept responsibility and I had to make some changes. .... The essence of it is, you take in fewer calories and you output more calories." (CNN Live, July 19, 2004)

• The most important contribution Governor Huckabee makes to the health care debate is that 80% of health care expenditures are spent on "diseases that can be prevented or cured" (@ 2:10).

• Governor Huckabee started the "Fitness Challenge" in which companies challenged each other to see which company could lose the most weight, have the most people quit smoking or start exercising. (National Press Club, September 23, 2005).

This post is longer than anticipated, but that is a testament to the fact that Huckabee exercised intellect and leadership in multiple areas of health care --- so all the commentary about Republicans having done nothing on health care (or having no ideas), is wrong. That is the purpose of this site --- to show that Republicans have (and have had all along) ideas to address America's challenges --- and Huckabee has shown he is up to that task.